Christian Advance Helps And Prayers

The Pilgrim's Progress

John Bunyan

One of the most widely read books of all time, this adventure reveals John Bunyan's intense grasp of the Scriptures. Penned while in prison for refusing to compromise the gospel, The Pilgrim's Progress is a guide for the journey from death to life. The times have changed, but the landmarks and adversaries are very much the same.

The Pilgrim's Progress is a call to the high stakes of every Christian's journey. Don't pick it up expecting quaint amusement; it is a story of the undeniable truth, great cost, and overwhelming joy of the gospel. 

CONTEXT AND CORRELATION

There is a story of Jesus casting out a demon from a young boy in Mark chapter nine. Commentaries and different Bible versions leave you in the dark as to whether the boy was actually dead or not. Here is a biblically supported reason for believing the boy seems to have died. I will use contextual support for this interpretation.

· The story of the transfiguration precedes our story. Peter, James and John see a glorified, resurrected Jesus that shone like the sun. Thus, messaging that Jesus will die and rise glorified. This follows 8:31. Jesus clearly states He will die and rise again. Our story (9:14-32) could be told to give the reader support to the newly introduced idea Jesus will rise from the dead.

· Again, Chapter 9:9-10 speaks of the Son of Man rising from the dead. 

· The words in our story point to the boy actually being dead. 

o The boy became like a corpse. 9:26

o The boy was believed to be dead. 9:26

o Jesus took him by the hand and “raised him”. 9:27

· The story of Jesus walking through Galilee teaching His disciples about His trial, death and resurrection (9:31) follow our story of the young boy. Here He clearly proclaims He will die and rise again.

Mark chapters 1-8 tell the reader who Jesus is. Chapters 9-16 tell the reader what Jesus came to do. Dying and rising from the dead is what Jesus came to do. Furthermore, because Mark wants the reader to make the switch from who He is to what He came to do, He pivots to a heavy theme of dying and rising repeated in 8:31 and 9:9-10 (leading into our story); and 9:31; 10:34 after our story. Our story is found among this grouping.

Up to chapter 8, Jesus has not spoken of His resurrection from the dead. But when He does speak of it, He does so in a matter-of-fact way leaving no gray area. I say this having contextual support for this interpretation. Do you have contextual support for why you believe what you believe?

But not so fast! Do you have correlation? Correlation is seeing your passage in light of the other similar passages found in other books. Do they say the boy died? Do they say Jesus brought him back to life?

Actually, no. Matthew 17:14-23; Luke 9:37-45; do not even hint at the idea that Jesus raised the child from the dead. Matthew says, “the boy was cured at once.” Luke says Jesus, “healed the boy and gave him back to his father.” That being said, we should take Mark’s words, “the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, ‘He is dead’” (Mark 9:26) as being exactly what the author meant.

Context is extremely important. I cannot emphasize enough how you should always look at passages in light of context. Nevertheless, also entertain correlation. What do the other authors have to say about the same event? Do other books or other authors of Scripture support your stance? Do you have correlation support for why you believe what you believe?

DISCIPLESHIP ENHANCES FELLOWSHIP

What about real Christian fellowship? How is it enhanced through discipleship? Life Groups can be centered around hearing, reading or studying the Bible. It can be challenging and enlightening. Yet, for a growing number, this still leaves you dry, longing for something more and still in a position of hearers rather than doers.
We become better informed but not really transformed. What is needed? What if we start with a question, “What if your discipleship focused on what kind of friends you want to be?” Do you want to be a faithful group of people who hold each other accountable for their daily walk with God? Do you want to be a cohort of Jesus followers who help each other discern God's presence?  Do you want to follow God's lead in your lives? Do you want to be a collective of Great Commissioners living on mission with God in the flow of everyday life? If those folks come together in real Christian fellowship, on a regular basis, it will be anything but dry.
Having walked with God all week, you assemble having experienced Scripture's truth, with stories to tell and praises to give. Has your Life Group thought about what kind of friends you want to be: everyone doing their own thing or everyone on mission with God? It makes a difference if you long for real Christian fellowship.  

WHO IS YOUR THREE?

Did you ever notice Jesus had people around Him all the time? For me, that would be exhausting. For some of you that would be close to heaven. For both of us, we need to notice the unique relationship Jesus had with three. Three friends. Three deep spiritual friendships. Jesus gave us a model to notice. He invested more deeply in a few. He didn’t invite the one-hundred twenty to every ministry event. In fact, He didn’t even invite the twelve to every ministry event. Only Peter, James and John got to see Jesus raise Jairus daughter from the dead. Only Peter, James and John were at Jesus’ Transfiguration and saw His divinity on display. Only these three were asked by Jesus to be with Him, to watch and pray for Him in the garden before He went to the cross. Like it or not, they were in a deeper discipleship relationship with Jesus than the others.

Through this Jesus taught us the need for real, genuine, authentic friends. Just a few. Someone to ask us, "How is your walk with Jesus?" Someone to help us discern the presence and guidance of the Spirit. You and I need a few spiritual friends to watch and pray for us, to speak the truth to us. There is no getting around it. Dry bones can live again. Find renewed life in a small band of brothers or a small band of sisters and live a much stronger life in the Spirit. Who is your Peter, James and John?